Instead of aiming for complete abstinence, for instance, aim to drink fewer than seven days a week. “Try sober Mondays or sober Mondays through Wednesdays,” he says. Use the NIAAA’s drink size calculator to determine the amount of Sober House alcohol in various drinks. To determine whether—and where—you fall in the alcohol use disorder (AUD) spectrum, answer the following questions. A sober life doesn’t have to mean more time at home as you try to block out triggers.
How To Quit Drinking at Home
There are now telemedicine programs, including Ria Health, that can make these forms of support easier to access. Regardless of when you choose to take a break, there https://marylanddigest.com/top-5-advantages-of-staying-in-a-sober-living-house/ are more and more socially condoned opportunities to see what it’s like to drink less alcohol. The health benefits of even a month without alcohol may surprise you.
How to Handle Cravings
We are dedicated to transforming the despair of addiction into a purposeful life of confidence, self-respect and happiness. We want to give recovering addicts the tools to return to the outside world completely substance-free and successful. Medically assisted detoxification (detox) is an inpatient program that keeps you stabilized during alcohol withdrawals. Staffed by medical professionals, these programs offer 24-hour monitoring so you always have support if any complications arise. An effective tapering schedule may include cutting out one drink at a time at regular intervals. It might help to set goals and reward yourself when you reach them.
Who Can Benefit From Tapering Their Alcohol Intake
We publish material that is researched, cited, edited and reviewed by licensed medical professionals. The information we provide is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. It should not be used in place of the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare providers.
- Before you begin an alcohol taper, a little preparation can go a long way, especially when it involves handling your triggers and tracking how much you drink.
- Learn about the increase in contaminated drugs and steps you can take to reduce harm.
- Tolerance, dependence, social habits, setting, the biology of the individual and more must all be considered.
- If alcohol is interfering with your health or your personal, financial, or professional life, consider quitting.
For personal advice, please consult with a medical professional. Dr. Streem suggests starting with the World Health Organization’s Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT). It can be a particularly helpful way to help you get a clearer understanding of your drinking habits and your relationship with alcohol. It’s a 10-question screening test that gives you research-backed, personalized advice for quitting or reducing your intake of alcohol. Whether you’re sober curious, know for sure you’re ready to quit, or fall somewhere in between, Dr. Streem shares advice for how to stop drinking.
For some, the issue may not be daily, heavy drinking, but a pattern of binging on certain evenings or weekends. Telemedicine is a growing industry, and is making medical assistance easier to access than it was before. People can now talk to a doctor through video chat and get help for many common ailments. Alcohol abuse turns out to be no exception, and resources like medical counseling, recovery coaching, and even prescriptions are now available through telemedicine programs.
The alcohol content itself is important, and it depends on the percentage of alcohol, the proof of the alcohol and the actual amount of alcohol in the drink. It is important to note that alcohol tapers are generally not recommended as the best way to stop using alcohol. Most healthcare professionals recommend a medically-assisted detox as the best way to get off alcohol. Many people can recover by going to a specialized rehab center that uses proven treatments. Alcohol treatment uses various methods to help with withdrawal and addiction.